Christmas party table essentials

Happy Monday everyone.
So, are the Christmas parties getting lined up and dotting your calendar?
And you decided that you will host one yourself?
Throwing a party can request quite a Herculean effort. From planning and buying things, to prepping food and beverages. You also have to make sure your friends RSVP, and the list goes on.
So I won’t help you with the menu, or the food and drinks, but I will give a few recommendations on some stunning “must-haves” for your own Xmas party!

Cheese boads:

Slate stone cheese board - Kitchen Stuff Plus

A definite steal! For only $7.99 this cheese board is stylish yet practical, easy to clean and very very wallet friendly! It comes with felt footings and it’s just under 11” x 7”.

• Olive wood paddle board - West Elm

Rich looking, the beautiful grains of the olive wood are intensified by an organic oil finish. They come in 3 different sizes and serve as beautiful decor elements when not being used. Also, they come with a leather string for hanging.

• Marble cheese board - William Sonoma

The cool and smooth surface of marble, if refrigerated before the party, can keep the cheese and fresh fruits nice and fresh for hours on.
It’s simple yet sophisticated! This piece comes in a matte finish that will not show as many scratches as a glossy finish would.
Not inexpensive, but a piece you would keep for a lifetime because of its classic look and versatility!
Remember, in Design, spending money on timeless pieces is always a good investment.

Ice Buckets:

• Royal Doulton "Pop in the drinks" collection

Contemporary spin from the British quintessential house of china. It’s “grown-up and chic, but still cool. Available at the Bay, averaging $136 CAD.

• Sunny Life - Blue Bucket

Cheap and cheerful, only $12 on Fab.com, this piece is in acrylic and dishwasher safe!. And good for outdoors for your summer parties too!

• Stainless steel "Shiny" Ice Bucket - CB2

My fave! It’s urban, it’s sleek, it’s sensual and it is shiny!
Perfect size and double walled so that the outside wall doesn’t drip! Good news: RIGHT now on special at the Queen/Bathurst store for $32.



Centerpiece:

Simple and inexpensive, these 3 festive centerpieces will create a focus point on your table and a more organic holiday decor for your place.
- 1 Extra tall cylinder vase
Your choice of 1 of the following:
- Birch logs
- Fresh pine tree branches and leaves with needles (I prefer Western Cedar because of its textured tips in the needles). Also remember to add water to the vase
- Extra large pine cones with pomegranates

I hope this article has provided you with some fresh and useful Holiday party hosting ideas.
Have a fantastic week!

Theo Flamenbaum

Theo's Top Summer must-haves

Summer is here and it's by far my favourite season.

Long days, ice cream, days on the island or the beach, tank tops and flip flops!

Also, every design/decor magazine last month, and this one, had their lists for Summer's favourites. What's in, what's to buy, what's hot. Well, after a lot of bed time reading and a lot of looking around, here it is: the first Theo's top must-haves for the Summer!

1- PEARL - Outdoors LED sphere lamp

They come in 4 colours and are waterproof, energy efficient, rechargeable and WIRELESS! (I loathe wires).

dimension: 9.8" diameter.  Only available through wholesalers.

Why I like it: because of the soft glow! and because it's wireless, again!

2- Lanterns

Ok, so if the Pearl is not your thing, if is is too modern, large lanterns with pillar candles are the way to go when adding a warm touch of lighting to your backyard, patio or balcony.

This season I am particularly fond of :

- West Elm's cute recycled glass ones for tea lights

cute and earthy

- Crate and Barrel traditional Brynn Lantern (for a pillar candles)

handsome and stylish

Whichever you prefer, make sure to also get some citronella tea candles to keep the bugs away from sunset to ...   sunrise?!

3- Geneva sound system

Because we are only humans and deserve a little "Bossa Nova" or a nice chill soundtrack when having our friends over for brunch of cocktails, right?!

Geneva has a stylish collection of speakers, my favourite is the walnut with a pedestal: 

They also come in red, white and black.

4- Outdoors fabric from the Windsor Smith Collection by Joanne Fabrics

This collection will add visual interest with its popping colours and bold graphics. Lots of geometric patterns and vivid colour schemes. 

Attention: Only available through designers.

5 - Bath & Body Works - Spearmint and Eucalyptus - Stress Relief collection 

Hmmm smells like Heaven! It's the freshest, most soothing scent for the body and home with the scented candles too.

Have a set of the hand soap and lotion in your powder room for your guests:

And finally, top it all off with a selfish treat and enjoy the sugar scrub in a cold-lukewarm rain shower :-) 

No, seriously! Go buy it!

Alright part 2:

6- Oversized/Tall planters and Herbs garden

I like them everywhere! Front door, backyear, or in a balcony.

Tall planters give a vertical application to space deprived or a a large one:

 It also creates a fresh and pleasant "vignette" for a front door or backyard door:

 Finally, in a back yard, it can delineate spaces:

West Elm had these lovely ones:

And I also particularly like the concrete ones as well  (available at most large nurseries, garden stores):

Not done yet!

Nothing is more lovely than a fresh herbs garden:

These modular planters are from Good Erdle and would be perfect for your basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley... you name it!

7- A cedar deck

Just the best wood (unless you have the cash to go with teak) for a deck. It's polished yet earthy and super easy to maintain!

And if you live in a condo, it's so much "cleaner" and sophisticated:

8- Acrylic glasses for outdoors

It's dish-washable and you can take on day trips/picnics too!

CB2 has a cute collection and is well priced too. Including Martini glasses, yumm!

9- Restoration Hardware Belvedere Outdoors Furniture collection

The pieces come in 3 different wood stains in teak and many fabrics to choose from.

Fabrics are sunlight and waterproof.

10- Fresh cut Summer Flowers

Embracing Summer's floral gifts, indulge in beautiful flower arrangements using the ones that bloom in the summer.

My faves:

White and pink lilies:

Golden Sunflowers:

Mauve Alliums:

That's it folks. I hope that you found some inspiration, ideas and good suggestions. Let me know which ones you will take up on and show me.

Have an amazing Summer :-)

Theo Flamenbaum

- Style + Function + Love + You -